Articles | Volume 18, issue 22
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-6545-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Special issue:
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-6545-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
17 Nov 2025
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 17 Nov 2025
| 17 Nov 2025
The TropoPause Composition TOwed Sensor Shuttle (TPC-TOSS): a new airborne dual platform approach for atmospheric composition measurements at the tropopause
Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Philipp Joppe
Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Aerosol Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany
Institute of Climate and Energy Systems 3 – Troposphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
Nicolas Emig
Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Armin Afchine
Institute of Climate and Energy Systems 4 – Stratosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
Anna Breuninger
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Joachim Curtius
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Stefan Hofmann
enviscope GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany
Sadath Ismayil
Institute for Applied Geoscience, Technical University Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
Konrad Kandler
Institute for Applied Geoscience, Technical University Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
Daniel Kunkel
Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Arthur Kutschka
enviscope GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany
Hans-Christoph Lachnitt
Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Andreas Petzold
Institute of Climate and Energy Systems 3 – Troposphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Research, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Sarah Richter
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Timo Röschenthaler
enviscope GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany
Christian Rolf
Institute of Climate and Energy Systems 4 – Stratosphere, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
Lisa Schneider
Institute for Applied Geoscience, Technical University Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
Johannes Schneider
Aerosol Chemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany
Alexander Vogel
Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Peter Hoor
Institute for Atmospheric Physics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
Data sets
TPEx 2024 observational data and model data along flight path - Merged H.-C. Lachnitt https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15371527
Executive editor
The towed sensor shuttle is a unique platform for atmospheric composition measurements at the tropopause. This work demonstrates direct measurements of temperature, humidity, ozone, and aerosol particle concentration, with reduced uncertainties and the potential to improve our understanding of troposphere/stratosphere exchange processes.
The towed sensor shuttle is a unique platform for atmospheric composition measurements at the...
Short summary
Deployed on a Learjet as a tandem measurement platform during the TPEx I (TropoPause composition gradients and mixing Experiment) campaign in June 2024, the new TPC-TOSS (TropoPause Composition Towed Sensor Shuttle) system delivers high-resolution in situ data on ozone, aerosol, and key meteorological parameters. Laboratory and in-flight tests confirmed its precision and stability. Observed gradients near the tropopause reveal active mixing and transport processes in the tropopause region.
Deployed on a Learjet as a tandem measurement platform during the TPEx I (TropoPause composition...
